Comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction versus yoga on urinary urge incontinence: a randomized pilot study. with 6-month and 1-year follow-up visits.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) versus yoga on urinary urge incontinence (UI) at 8 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after an 8-week program.
Results Summary
MBSR showed greater median percent reduction in urinary urge incontinence episodes compared to yoga at all time points, with statistically significant improvements at 8 weeks. Participants in MBSR also reported better subjective improvement at 8 weeks and 1 year compared to yoga.
Population
Women aged 18+ with urge-predominant incontinence and ≥5 UI episodes on a 3-day voiding diary, no recent anticholinergic use.
Effective Dosage
8-week program (at least 5 of 8 sessions completed).
Duration
8 weeks (with follow-ups at 6 and 12 months).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) | decrease | urinary incontinence episodes (UIE) | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | -55.6% at 8 weeks, -71.4% at 6 months, -66.7% at 12 months | greater median percent change from baseline | #1 |
yoga | decrease | urinary incontinence episodes (UIE) | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | -33.3% at 8 weeks, -11.8% at 6 months, -16.7% at 12 months | median percent change from baseline | #2 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) | increase | Overactive Bladder Symptom and Quality of Life-Short Form | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | statistically significant at 8 weeks | greater median percent change | #3 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) | increase | Health-Related Quality of Life | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | statistically significant at 8 weeks | greater median percent change | #4 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) | increase | patient-reported improvement | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | 6/13 women at 8 weeks | reported they were very much or much better | #5 |
yoga | no change | patient-reported improvement | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | 0/11 women at 8 weeks | reported they were very much or much better | #6 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) | increase | patient-reported improvement | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | 6/12 women at 1 year | reported they were very much or much better | #7 |
yoga | increase | patient-reported improvement | women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence | 1/9 women at 1 year | reported they were very much or much better | #8 |
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to compare the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) versus yoga on urinary urge incontinence (UI) at 8 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after beginning an 8-week program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants in this prospective randomized single-masked pilot study were women aged 18 years or older with urge-predominant incontinence, 5 or more UI episodes (UIEs) on a 3-day voiding diary, and no recent anticholinergic use. Women were randomized to MBSR or yoga. The primary outcome was the percent change of UIE. RESULTS: Of 30 enrollees (15 in MBSR, 15 in yoga), 24 completed at least 5 of 8 sessions (13 in MBSR and 11 in yoga). Twenty and 21 women completed the 6-month and 12-month follow-up visits, respectively. At 8 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months, the median percent change from the baseline in UIE on the intention-to-treat analysis was greater for the MBSR group (-55.6, -71.4, and -66.7, respectively) compared with that for the yoga group (-33.3, -11.8, and -16.7, respectively), with P values ranging from 0.01 to 0.08. On intention-to-treat analysis, the median percent change in the Overactive Bladder Symptom and Quality of Life-Short Form and the Health-Related Quality of Life was greater at each time point for MBSR than for yoga but was statistically significant only at 8 weeks (P = 0.003 and 0.02, respectively). As per protocol analysis, at 8 weeks, 6/13 and 0/11 women in MBSR and yoga, respectively, reported they were very much or much better (P = 0.02), whereas at 1 year, 6/12 and 1/9 women in MBSR and yoga, respectively, did so (P = 0.16). DISCUSSION: These results support larger scale trials to evaluate MBSR, which seems to be a promising treatment of UI.